Apparatus for drying or conditioning cigarettes



2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENI'OI? W. E. MOLHNS APPARATUS FOR DRYING 0RCONDITIONING CIGARETTES Filed Oct 5, 19:55

Fri 39, 1935;,

APPARATUS FOR DRYING OR CONDITIONING CIGARETTES 'w. E. MOLINS Filed001;. 5, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 hr wr atented Apr. 30,

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APPARATUS FOR DRYING OR CONDITION- ENG CKGARETTES Walter Everett llfeline, Deptford, London, England Application Uctober E,

1933, Serial No. 692,327

in Great Britain October 14, 1932 '9 Claims.

The present invention consists in improved means for conditioningcigarettes or drying them, and is particularly, though not exclusively,ap-

plicable to the cigarettes as they emerge from the forced air draughtendwise through the cigarettes, and such air may have been previouslywari .ed or chemically dried (for instancaby calcium chloride) and itmay be simultaneously blown in from one end and sucked out from theother.

In order to more evenly effect the drying of the cigarettes, the air maybe blown in from one end of a cigarette for half of the available time,

and from the other end for the remainder of the time and/ or may also besucked alternately from opposite ends.

It is well known that tobacco must be worked through the cigarettemaking machine with a sumciently high moisture content to prevent unduebreakage of the tobacco in the process of distributing and showering thesame to cigarette rod.

The moisture content necessary for feeding the tobacco is generallyconsidered too high for the satisfactory packing of the cigarettes intothe usual packages, and'it is desirable to reduce the moisture contentboth venting the cigarettes fr for the purpose of preom going mouldy,and for improving their smoking quality.

According to the present invention, apparatus for conditioningcigarettes (e. g. passing dry and/or warm air therethrough in an axialdirection) comprises in combination a movable carrier for cigarettes,and

one or more pairs of air ducts having outlet ports wherein the ports ofeach pair of ducts are alignment with and at arranged to hem axialopposite ends of a cigarette to be received between them on the carrier,and are also movable with the cigarette carrier.

The word air used herein and in the appended claims is intended toinclude any gas used to reduce the moisture content of the tobacco whenpassed through the latter.

One form of apparatus for conditioning cigarettes according to the present invention, bypassing air through them, will now be described withreference to the accompanying drawings, in

which:- Figure 1 is a side elev ation of the apparatus.

form the Figure 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the peripheries of thecigarette carrying drums.

Figure 4 is an elevation looking along the line t-t of Figure 3, lookingin the direction of the arrows.

Figures 5 and S are details of the hollow shaft partitions.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the severalfigures of the drawings.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, cigarettes to be. conditioned arebrought along a conveyor it, which maybe the delivery band of acigarette machine. Successive cigarettes fail ofi the band it intogrooves or flutes in pairs of discs I i which rotate in a clockwisedirection. The cigarettes are prevented from inadvertently leaving thediscs i i by circumferential shields E2. The two pairs of discs aremounted in the space between three hollow concentric discs or drums it,it, it, see Figure 2. These three hollow drums are mounted on a hollowrotatable shaft it to which they are keyed. The shaft is dividedlongitudi-- nally into three segments by internal partitions it whichextend from-one end of the shaft to the other. The drums l3 and i5communicate with the segment 58 of the hollow shaft through arouateslots 19. The middle, drum M communicates with the segments 29 and 25 ofthe hollow shaft.

A casing 22 is clamped over one end of the hollow rotating shaft It andacts as an intake for air.

Another set of hollow rotating drums 23, 2s

and 25 (see Figure 3) keyed to a hollow rotating shaft Mill, is providedat the same level as the t drums 83, i i and i5, and the casing 22 formsa duct which communicates with the. hollow shafts of both sets of hollowdrums. As seen in Figure 1, a second casing 28, similar to the casing 22is mounted on the other side of the hollow shafts it and 566. The hollowdrums 53, i l and i5, and 23, 2 i and 25, are provided with air ducts ornozzles 27 and 28, the outlet ports of which are in axial alignment andbetween which the cigarettes are mounted so that when the cigarettes arein position, a current of air may pass through the tobacco in thecigarette.

The cigarettes are transferred from the pairs of discs H to the drums itand it, or it and (5 respectively, and are held in position on the drumsr in grooves or flutes 29 provided on rings 39 clamped concentrically tothe discs. The-cigarettes fall by gravity at the transfer point wherethe shield I2 terminates.

In order that the ends of the cigarettes may be as close as possible tothe ports or nozzles 2'2 and 23, the latter, which are on the lowerpressure side, and are of larger area,'are movable towards and away fromthe opposite ducts 2?. The ducts or nozzles 23 are spring urged to moveinwardly, as seen more clearly in Figure 3, and are controlled by camsill for the first set of drums l3, it and i5, and by cams 3'? for thesecond set of drums 23, 2t and 25.

The cams are so arranged that the nozzles 28 are pressed back until acigarette is dropped into position in the grooves 23 oi the first set ofdrums from the pairs of discs 9 l. After this, the nozzles 28 moveinwardly and press against the ends of the cigarettes so that the endfaces of each cigarette are in axial alignment with and abut against apair of nozzles 21 and 28. When this occurs, a current or air can bepassed through the tobacco in the cigarette from the nozzles 27 and. outfrom the nozzles The hollow shaft 56 for the discs i3, I l and i5 isclosed at one end by a plate which allows the air stream to enter onlythe segments 2E; and 25. 1 1

At the other end of the shaft it, there is provided a sealing plate 33,as seen in Figure 6, which seals up the segments 29- and El, and allowsthe air to pass out only through the segment 58. I1 this way the air isconstrained to pass from the casing 22 to the segments 23 and 2 i, thenthrough the nozzles 22? and the cigarette tube, and out through thenozzles 28 and the segment {8 into the outlet casing 26. In the drumsi3, is and E5 the outlet ports or nozzles 28 are mounted on the twoouter drums l3 and 55, whereas in the second set of drums 23, 24 and 25the outlet ports or nozzles 28 are mounted on the center disc Ed. Thereason for this will be given later.

As the cigarettes, therefore, are delivered from the pairs of discs I la current of air passes through each individual cigarette and the latterare carried with the hollow drums as they rotate in an anti-clockwisedirection.

Thedruins which are keyed to the shaft leare driven through a toothedwheel 53! mounted on the drum l3.

Shields 34 formed concentrically with these hollow drums is, i l and 55are provided toretain cigarettes against outward movement. Thecigarettes are brought up to the leading edge 35 of the cams 3i, andthese cams are-arranged in the path of pins 236 rigidly connected to thenozzles 23 so that the latter are pushed away from the opposite nozzles2'5 at a time when the cigarettes are to be transferred into slots inpairs of discs 36. These discs 36 are rotated in a clockwise direction,and shields 3H concentric with the discs 36 and commencing at thetransfer point act as strippers and cause the cigarettes to be removedfrom the grooves in the drums l3, l5 and i5 and carried round in thegrooves in the discs 38.

The cigarettes are then carried to the periphery of the pairs of hollowdrums 23 and 25, and 2 iand 25, respectively. The cigarettes, when theare opposite the cams 3? are dropped into the grooves 29; in the pairsof hollow drums 23 and 26, and 2d and 25 respectively, and after thishas taken place, the nozzles 28 are released by the cams 3'! to allowthe nozzles to press against the cigarettes. I I

The operation is the same as in the case of the drums it, Hi and i5. Inthe case of the drums 23, 26 and 25, however, the outlet nozzlesfiii areon the middle drum 24. I

In the second set of drums 23, Hand. 25 the drums 23 and 25 communicatewith the segment we of the hollow shaft 559, and the drum 24-communicates with the segments 2% and 2163. In this case a plate such as33 shown in Figure 6 is placed on the intake end or" the shaft Hi3, thatis, under the casing 22 while a plate such as 32 is placed on the otherend of the shaft.

In this way, as the cigarettes are carried in the the cigarettes in onedirection, and when they are on the second set of drums the air passesthrough the cigarettes in the opposite direction. The cigarettes arecarried round by the drums E3 and 2 or 2& and 25 as in the case of thedrums i3 and M, and Hi and i5. Circumferential shields 38 prevent thecigarettes from moving outwardly. The cigarettes are picked ofithe drumsand 24 and 2-! and 25 respectively by pairs of discs 39 in asimilar'manner to that in which the cigarettes were removed fromthedrums l3, M and E5 by the discs 36 and cam 3i.

first set of drums, the air passes through i The cigarettes maybedelivered from the discs as on to a conveyor, not shown, in any wellknown manner. r I

. The drums in which the drying takes-place are adjustable axially inorder to accommodate various lengths or" cigarette, and the current ofair passing through the cigarettes maybe caused Where it is desired toheat the air it is preferable to provide the heating unit within thedrying apparatus and this is most conveniently eiiected by fittingelectric heaters within the drums l3 and 55 as shown at fi Figure 2, andwithin the drum 2% as shown at 69 Figure 3. The heaters consist ofresistance wire wound on insulating formers and the connection for thecurrent is made by slip rings and brushes (not shown) the rings beingmounted on either of the drums or the ring.

It will also be understood that any desired 'flavouring may be impartedto the draught of air which will readily be absorbed by the tobacco,owing to th well known property of tobacco of quickly absorbing suchflavours.

, The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, applicable incases where cigarettes are being packed immediately they come from thecigarette making machine where the drying discs above described mayreadily located between the points where the cigarettes emerge from thecigarette machine, and the point where they are delivered direct to thepacking machine.

What I claim as my invention and desire to;

secure as Letters Patent is:-- V

1. Apparatus for conditioning cigarettes, comprising in combination amovable carrier for the cigarettes, a pair of oppositely directed and"the cigarettes, at least one pair of oppositely directed and alignednozzles, said nozzles being movable with the carrier and relativelymovable towards and away from one another, means for controlling therelative movement of the nozzles to engage opposite ends of thecigarettes, and means connected with the inlet of one of a pair ofnozzles whereby fluid may be passed through a cigarette held between thenozzles.

3. Apparatus for conditioning cigarettes, comprising in combination amovable carrier for the cigarettes, said carrier comprising a pair ofrotatable members, spaced apart and having their axes of rotation inalignment, at least one pair of oppositely directed and aligned nozzles,for each cigarette, each nozzle of a pair being mounted on one of thesaid rotatable members, said nozzles being movable with the carrier andrelatively movable towards and away from one another, means forcontrolling the relative movement of the nozzles, and means connectedwith the inlet of one of a pair of nozzles :hereby fluid may be passedthrough a cigarette held between the'nozzles.

4. Apparatus for conditioning cigarettes, comprising in combination amovable carrier for the cigarettes, said carrier comprising a pair ofrotatable members spaced apart andhaving their axes of rotation inalignment, at least one pair of oppositely directed and aligned nozzles,for each cigarette, each nozzle of a pair being mounted on one of thesaid rotatable members, said nozzles being movable with the carrier andrelatively movable towards and away from one another to engage oppositeends of the cigarettes, and means connected with the inlet of one of apair of nozzles whereby fluid may be passed through a cigarette heldbetween the nozzles.

5. Apparatus for conditioning cigarettes, comprising in combination arotatable carrier for the cigarettes, said carrier comprising incombination two axially aligned rotatable hollow drums, at least onepair of oppositely directed and aligned nozzles mounted on said drums,said nozzles being relatively movable towards and away from one anotherand each nozzle communicating with the interior of the drum on which itis mounted, a hollow shaft for supporting the drums, said hollow shaftbeing divided into separate compartments, each of which is provided withan aperture which communicates with the interior of one drum only of apair of drums, means for controlling the relative movement of thenozzles, and means connected with said hollow shaft whereby a fluid maybe passed through a cigarette held between a pair of nozzles.

6. Apparatus for conditioning cigarettes, comprising in combination arotatable carrier for the cigarettes, said carrier comprising in com-'from one another and each nozzle communicating with the interior of thedrum on which it is mounted, a hollow shaft for supporting the drums,said hollow shaft being divided into separate compartments, each ofwhich is provided with an aperture which communicates with the interiorof one drum'only of a pair of drums to engage opposite ends of thecigarettes, means for controlling the relative movement of the nozzles,and means connected with said hollow shaft whereby a fluid may be passedthrough a-cigal'ette held between a pair of nozzles,

'7. Apparatus for conditioning cigarettes, comprising in combination amovable carrier for the cigarettes, a pair of oppositely directed andaligned nozzles for each cigarette, said nozzles being movable with thecarrier and relatively movable towards and away from one another toengage opposite ends of the cigarettes, means for controlling therelative movement of the nozzles whereby the cigarettes may be engagedand released at the proper time, and means connected with one of saidnozzles whereby a fluid may be passed through a cigarette, held betweenthe nozzles.

8. Apparatus for conditioning cigarettes, com prising in combination amovable carrier for the cigarettes, a pair of oppositely directed andaligned nozzles for each cigarette, said nozzles being movable with thecarrier and relatively movable towards and away from one another, meansfor controlling the relative movement of the nozzles, means fordelivering one cigarette at a time between each pair of nozzles, saidmeans comprising in combination at least one rotatable member havingperipheral pockets for the cigarettes, means for feeding the. cigarettesone at a time into the pockets with their axes parallel to the axis ofrotation of. said rotatable member, and means connected with one of saidnozzles whereby a fluid may be passed through a cigarette held betweenthe nozzles.

9. Apparatus for conditioning cigarettes, comprising in combination amovable carrier for the cigarettes, at least one pair of oppositelydirected and aligned nozzles, said nozzles being movable with thecarrier and relatively movable towards and away from one another, meansfor controlling the relative movement of the nozzles to engage oppositeends of the cigarettes, means for delivering'one cigarette at a timebetween each'pai'r of nozzles, said means comprising in combination atleast one rotatable member having peripheral pockets for the cigarettes,means for feeding the cigarettes one at a time into the pockets withtheir axes parallel to the axes of rotation of said rotatable member,and means connected with one of a pair of nozzles whereby a fluid may bepassed through a cigarette held between the nozzles.

WALTER EVERETT MOLINS.

